Quantcast
Channel: OpEx Learning Resources
Viewing all 1002 articles
Browse latest View live

Accountability: Ensure You Tidy Up ‘You’ First

$
0
0

accountability, six sigma, lean six sigma, shmula.com

Setting a Bad Example

We have all seen it many times before. That meeting organizer that comes into a meeting 25 minutes late. Everyone in the room respectfully held off starting the meeting and simply took care of busy work or catching up on social connections with others in the meeting. Time passed slowly and schedules later in the day started getting pushed back. Frustration was starting to fill the air. In a rushed flurry, the meeting organizer entered the room, briskly apologized for the tardiness. The excuse? Well, we have all heard them. They were on the phone, in another room, signing documents, caught up with an issue, another meeting ran over, delayed getting back from lunch, etc, etc, etc. All things considered, the apology and excuses wear thin. Making matters worse, the meeting organizer is the one who called the meeting. Are you feeling the familiar level of frustration yet? You bet you are! Use this example as a learning point and make sure you aren’t guilty of the same type of behavior. As a Lean Six Sigma professional, accountability and constant improvement starts with you first!

Accountability Starts At The Top

In our day-to-day work process, we are focused on eliminating waste from the organization. Sometimes your focus on organizational waste become so intense, you may be forgetting about how to improve yourself. As a Lean Six Sigma practitioner, your skill set is entirely focused on eliminating waste and constant quality improvement. Take the time to refocus those powerful tools and skills back on you. It is where it all begins. Here are some steps to get you to that:

  • Define Yours – What is your definition of value? Just as the customer defines what is value and what is waste in our process, you must precisely define what is value in your day-to-day. Anything else is waste.
  • Make an Assessment – Identify the waste in your own work. The seven wastes of lean provide a compass to guide you. Use your skills.
  • Develop Solutions – Develop accurate and specific solutions for every example of waste. Don’t try applying a broad brush stroke. Be laser focused.
  • Be Systematic – Waste will continue to creep if you don’t systematically practice habits to eliminate waste.

Living the Example

Get control of yourself and start eliminating waste in your daily process. Use your Lean Six Sigma practice and tools to eliminate the waste and propel you towards a more productive practice. Setting the example is a demand of your profession. Make it a daily habit to eliminate waste as an individual, then as an organization.

The post Accountability: Ensure You Tidy Up ‘You’ First appeared first on shmula.


Minitab: Developing Your Statistical Skills

$
0
0

minitab, statistics, statistical analysis, business, leadership, six sigma, shmula.com

Reasoning and Justification

What is the importance of Minitab training to a Six Sigma professional? The practice of Six Sigma requires us to rely on statistics and hard data. This allows the professional to provide continuous process improvement. Being able to evaluate and determine variances is a base of knowledge that just cannot be retained without reference. A Six Sigma practitioner depends on specialized tools to achieve success, such as Minitab. Being able to successful navigate and implement this powerful tool with confidence requires training and practice. The software platform enables a Six Sigma practitioner the ability to enter data, manipulate that data, understand trends, then extrapolate solutions to the challenges of the project. Without a clear understanding and confidence in operation of the Minitab software, Six Sigma professionals would struggle to provide accurate solutions to very complex issues, in a timely manner.

Minitab is Tailored For Quality

Achieving success in the Six Sigma profession demands that you have available and fully understand the use of the proper tools of the job. Every industry has their specific software that is unique to the application of their trade. Minitab is the leading software for Six Sigma professionals. Like any other process, it is crucial for a professional to understand the basic mechanics of the process, then graduate to an automated software platform. This ensures the professional understands the hows and whys of the process, before using the software. Learning the statistical applications of Six Sigma is crucial to anyone in the professional, it is simply a stepping stone to the next level of proficiency. Once you have mastered manual manipulation of the statistics, then moving into the Minitab software is the beginning of another learning process. Every professional software has a learning curve of manipulation and data entry. Minitab requires a certain level of education and understanding to achieve the desired results. Any practitioner of Six Sigma should complete a comprehensive and detailed training course on the Minitab software.

Achieving Success With Minitab

Your continued success in the Six Sigma profession depends on continuous and consistent training and education. An important part of this ongoing training effort should include a formal and comprehensive training on the Minitab software platform. When you are proficient and comfortable with the platform, you will be able to provide a better quality work product and achieve the results you are seeking in any project. It is a crucial skill to master.

 

The post Minitab: Developing Your Statistical Skills appeared first on shmula.

Lean Six Sigma Tools: What’s in Your Toolkit?

$
0
0

lean six sigma tools, lean six sigma, productivity, professional, shmula.com

Using a Wrench to Drive a Nail

When you think about all of the Lean Six Sigma tools that are at your disposal, the question comes to mind …what’s in your toolkit? Getting a job done, whether simple or complex requires a certain know how and understanding of the mechanics required to accomplish the task. Unfortunately, many will just jump in to resolve a problem and grab the first tool at hand to get the job done. Each of us have seen it done many times before and might even be guilty of it. Using a wrench to drive a nail, or a hammer to fix just about any problem you might run up against – it’s a common thing. Push it, pull it or hit it hard enough, it just might fix the problem. These are just some examples of the wrong tool, being used for the right job. Business solutions, inspired by off-the-cuff thinking, using improvised tools that require a great deal of effort are applied in an overly simplistic manner to achieve results. These ‘quick fixes’ get some very short term results, but typically lead to long term problems which are significantly amplified by shoddy practices.

Professionals Use the Right Tools

The good news is Lean Six Sigma practitioners have a full array of tools available to them. These tools at your disposal are the ‘right tools’ for the ‘right job’ and produce results that are desired, in the most efficient manner possible. When Lean Six Sigma tools are applied by a professional, with the skills to apply them to the right situation, they achieve effective and timely results. Here is a list of the most important tools available to you:

  1. The 5 Why’s – Moves you past the symptoms and gets to the root of the problem.
  2. Fishbone Diagram – A tool that allows a ‘structured’ brainstorming process.
  3. Histogram – Delivers a visual representation of collected data.
  4. Regression Analysis – Allows determination that an input process is related to an output process.
  5. Run Chart/Time Series – This tools shows trends and shifts.

Check out our list of FREE Lean Six Sigma templates >>>

Lean Six Sigma Tools Achieve Efficiency

Lean Six Sigma professionals have a vast array of tools at their disposal. The key is that you become proficient and comfortable working with those tools. You must develop an understanding of how they are used and what results you can expect when they are properly employed. Then, it takes practice! Use the tools and knowledge that you have in both simulated and real world situations. A professional carpenter can drive nails with amazing speed and consistency, as compared to the weekend warrior doing a self-help project at home. You have to be a skilled professional and be able to drive that nail home!

The post Lean Six Sigma Tools: What’s in Your Toolkit? appeared first on shmula.

Lean Six Sigma Teams: Finding the Right Size

$
0
0

lean six sigma teams, lean six sigma, teamwork, success, shmula.com

One Size Fits All?

Sometimes there is a misconception with Lean Six Sigma Teams that the more ‘brains’ involved, the better the results. This can especially become a trend when the problems are more detail oriented or complex. Leaders will immediately direct the maximum amount of brain power to attack the problem. Put the best and the brightest on the problem and get results. With that, we also know that sometimes, the ‘brightest’ or ‘high achievers’ bring along their own sets of problems, which could adversely impact projects. High achievers tend to come with over inflated egos and lack the skills to properly operate within a team environment. The key is to seek out team members who have proven results on Lean Six Sigma teams. However, how many of these successful professionals should be on a Lean Six Sigma Team?

Remember, It Is All About Quality

The composition of a successful Lean Six Sigma team is crucial to the overall results that will be achieved. Like any other business team, the leadership is crucial to the overall success. Ideally, a Lean Six Sigma team should be between three and five members, as an average. When considering an energetic and skilled leader, they should be able to properly guide the team throughout the entire process and achieve the desired results. The other members of the team should be comprised of people that have varied skills and bring to the team their unique individual personalities. The key to success here though, is that each member of the team should easily be able to function as a team member, understanding their roles and the importance of team play. Avoid placement of ‘high performers’ or ‘overachievers’ to a team, unless they have clearly demonstrated their ability to function as a team. A successful Lean Six Sigma team has no place for these corporate lone rangers. The mission is always about quality and the consistent improvement of the organization. There is no place for individuals who cannot place the goals of the team or organization above their individual need for achievement and fame.

Ideal Lean Six Sigma Teams

The perfect size and fit of a Lean Six Sigma team can vary based on the needs of the organization and the assignment. Leaders must be very thoughtful when selecting team leadership and members, to get the right skill sets and chemistry. They must be mindful of the fact that size does not matter. Steer away from people that have been labelled ‘overachievers’ or the ‘best and the brightest’ of the organization. They may have achieved individual success in their roles, but you are seeking teamwork and long term quality solutions. An efficient and effective Lean Six Sigma team requires skill sets, mastery and above all, focus on the dynamics of teamwork.

The post Lean Six Sigma Teams: Finding the Right Size appeared first on shmula.

Celebrating the Fourth of July

$
0
0

fourth of july, six sigma, ;ean six sigma, shmula.com

A History of the Celebration

The Continental Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. They’d been working on it for a couple of days after the draft was submitted on July 2nd and finally agreed on all of the edits and changes.  July 4, 1776, became the date that was included on the Declaration of Independence, and the fancy handwritten copy that was signed in August. It’s also the date that was printed on the Dunlap Broadsides, the original printed copies of the Declaration that were circulated throughout the new nation. So when people thought of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 was the date they remembered.

Thoughts for Reflection

Celebration of the Fourth of July holiday is a special one each year. We enjoy gathering with family and friends, while enjoying the summer season outdoors. Cookouts in the backyard, around the pool with friends and family. As the sun sets, we enjoy elaborate fireworks shows that can be truly majestic. This holiday most embodies the summer season. As Americans, we should be mindful of our history and heritage surrounding the holiday. Take a few minutes to reflect on the birth of our nation. Visionaries with the will to overcome gave us the freedoms that we enjoy today. Each of us possess those qualities and vision. Celebrate being an American and the freedom that invokes.

Wishing you a safe and happy Fourth of July!

 

The post Celebrating the Fourth of July appeared first on shmula.

Embracing Lean Six Sigma: Sometimes Easier Said Than Done

$
0
0

embracing lean six sigma, change, business, six sigma, lean six sigma, shmula.com

Embracing Lean Six Sigma

Embracing Lean Six Sigma methodology is, for some, an impossible task. At first glance, that just doesn’t make sense. There are volumes of case studies that prove the value of the Lean Six Sigma methodologies and implementing them seems to most to be a ‘no brainer’. They say that success leaves clues and it just makes good business sense to follow the clues and rise to the top. For some, that is just easier said than done when considering Lean Six Sigma. Each of us respond to situations or events with either a feeling of pleasure or a feeling of pain. When you consider change events, there are those who feel a pain response to those events, thus they avoid them. For whatever reason, situations and experiences deliver them a pain response when confronted with change. No matter how much logic or data-based results are presented to justify the change, they will feel a pain response to the event.  You must be able to break that state of pain and replace it with a state of pleasure.

Reasons to Reject Lean Six Sigma

Changing that experience from pain to pleasure can be a challenge. Understanding some of the reasons people reject or avoid Lean Six Sigma methodologies will help to make the change. Here are some common objections to embracing Lean Six Sigma:

  •  It’s Just a Fad – Just another ‘soup of the day’ in business.
  •  We Don’t Have Time –  Our business goes at a high speed and it just won’t work for us.
  • Our Business is Too Small – We are too small to see results.
  • We Can’t Afford It – The costs of the program are just too much.
  • We Have Done It Before – It Doesn’t Work – Our business just isn’t suited for the methodology.

Achieving Results With Confidence

Of course, anyone practicing Lean Six Sigma has heard some of these excuses, and probably many more. Each one is valid in the mind of some, but, at the end of the day, a result of feeling the pain of change. As a Lean Six Sigma professional, we should be able to comfortably and confidently address these fears and demonstrate the true value of the methodology. We should be able to break the status of pain and get them to associate the methodology with pleasure.

To increase the adoption of Lean and Six Sigma, education is great place to start. Check out our FREE Lean education materials. You can also access our Six Sigma DMAIC curriculum with a Shmula Pro membership.

The post Embracing Lean Six Sigma: Sometimes Easier Said Than Done appeared first on shmula.

Voice of The Customer: What They Really Think of You!

$
0
0

voice of the customer, customer service, service, lean six sigma, six sigma, shmula.com

 

Living the Fantasy

Voice of the Customer programs are crucial to the success of your business. The problem is so many think they know exactly what their customers think and feel. You have been in business for 30 years and do things the same way, that’s what your customers want. Are you sure about that? For many businesses, they are either disconnected from their customers or they live with rose colored glasses when it comes to the voice of the customer. Those same businesses are very quick to deal with a vocal, disgruntled customer. Immediately, they are showered with attention, promises and apologies, then a discount to make up for the upset. The customer walks out and everyone breathes a sigh of relief and pats each other on the back, thinking they have saved another customer. Truth be told, what you think just happened is probably not what the customer thinks just happened. This begs the question: do you really know what your customer thinks about you?

What They Really Think of You

Using a solid Voice of the Customer program, you are going to get to the core of what your customers really think of you. For some, it might just be a bit unsettling. Here are some facts you should keep in mind as you begin your journey down the road of truth:

  • 78% of customers have walked out on a transaction because of a poor service.
  • On average, loyal customers are worth more then 10 times as much as their first purchase.
  • It takes up to 12 positive experiences to make up for one negative experience.
  • 91% of frustrated customers will not continue to do business with you.
  • 40% of customers expressed that if they could improve one thing, they would improve the human element of the service.

These facts are both enlightening and staggering to some. They should disturb organizations enough to happily engage in a viable Voice of the Customer program that is effective. The days of reactive customer service experiences are over. Your customers expect you to be proactive and anticipate their needs and exceed them!

Listening to the Voice of the Customer

The Voice of the Customer is a process used to capture customer expectations and opinions, then provide world class services and products. The key to a successful Voice of the Customer program is to be extremely proactive, not reactive. This will allow your business to grow with your customer base, anticipating their expectations. These expectations are both stated and unstated. A vibrant program will instill a sense of loyalty and satisfaction towards your brand, in a consistent manner.

Resources

Consider downloading our eBook titled Voice of the Customer and Critical to Quality. Shmula Pro membership provides access to 34 other eBooks and reference guides

 

The post Voice of The Customer: What They Really Think of You! appeared first on shmula.

Veterans: Lean Six Sigma Skills Are In Demand

$
0
0

veterans, lean six sigma, six sigma, shmula.com

Ready to Transition?

Veterans, are you ready to transition? That one single question strikes fear in the heart of more veterans than any other. Once the decision to transition from military service into the civilian work force has been made, there is a relief. The veterans now are able to switch focus and are generally excited about new opportunities. Then, one day, they get a numb feeling in the pit of their stomachs. The questions start flowing int heir mind about a thousand miles an hour! What am I going to do for a living? How am I going to compete? Do my skills translate into the civilian work force easily? This is about the time things start getting real for a veteran in transition. You’re cutting the cords from the military service and embarking on a new environment that is very much alien in every way. At this point, the first thing a veteran needs to do is take a deep breath and relax. Everything is going to be just fine, but you need to understand, you are now in  control of your future. It is time to do what you do best … take charge and be prepared!

Veterans Taking Charge

Now, we’ll say this, it isn’t going to be an easy process. Don’t fool yourself. But, you need to clearly understand that you have faced bigger and more significant challenges and have come out extremely successful. Veterans bring to the table so many qualities that employers are looking for, you have got half the battle won! As a service member, you understand the concepts of being on time, dressing appropriately, paying attention to detail and being committed to a goal. What you have developed in the military, new job seekers in the civilian sector are just developing and learning. You are well ahead of the pack. The next challenge you will face is translating your military service and skills into their civilian equivalent. During your transition, there are resources available to you to do just that. You will be able to easily translate the elements of your skills and training into meaningful civilian equivalent. Don’t disregard any training or experiences you have. Everything counts!

Take Advantage of Your Skills

One of the best situations right now for veterans is Lean Six Sigma. The practice of Lean Six Sigma in the Department of Defense is at the forefront. If you have the opportunity to be trained and work in Lean Six Sigma in the military, take advantage of the opportunity! The practice of Lean Six Sigma is based on excellence and continuous quality improvement. For a veteran, you practice those qualities on a daily basis. In the civilian workforce, Lean Six Sigma professionals are in ever increasing demand. If you are not already trained prior to your transition, enroll in a qualified and quality training program through a reputable provider to attain the necessary skills. When you couple your valuable military experience and personal discipline with the Lean Six Sigma, you will find yourself in a valuable position for an exciting civilian career. Veterans are the perfect candidates for the Lean Six Sigma practice, and transitioning veterans should seriously consider the opportunity for a career.

The post Veterans: Lean Six Sigma Skills Are In Demand appeared first on shmula.


Organizing For Success: Design Does Matter

$
0
0

organizing for success, reorganization, leadership, business

Breaking Old Habits

Organizing for success with Lean is a interesting proposition. The fact is, most organizational designs are poorly thought out and disappointedly implemented. Lean practices and tools lead us down the path of organization through process design vs. reorganization. Our focus tends to be affecting change through existing processes and refining those to the most efficient point possible. When your Lean tools lead you down a path, we tend to follow faithfully. It cannot be debated that organizational design matters. The question remains … can we organize with Lean practices?

Change Comes Through Organizing

Unfortunately, most organizational redesigns are not defined or outlined by a problem statement. Organizations jump into these endeavors because they can ‘claim’ they are making a change, but in reality, it is being done for the sake of being done. When starting an reorganizational change, be very clear on the purpose and value of making that change. Ensure that everyone in the organization clearly understands the need and purpose for the reorganization. Clarity is the key to success. This leads us to the next challenge, which is considering the people factor. Much discussion can center around whether an organization should focus first on the good of the business or the good of the people. Making a case in every situation will remain fluid, but generally, the organization should be the priority in large organizations, and small organizations should clearly keep their people first and foremost.

Reorganization With Confidence

Be willing to take risks and be creative when exploring the process or reorganization. Some believe that when experimenting with organization, that process becomes disruptive to the organization. The fact is, experimentation can be disruptive, but only for the short term. Determine how to measure the success, define design options and then perform your experiments, as there is no single right answer. Lean practice and tools are perfect for navigating the challenges of organizational change.

The post Organizing For Success: Design Does Matter appeared first on shmula.

FMEA Tool: Predicting the Possibilities

$
0
0

flea tool, six sigma, six sigma tools, lean six sigma, shmula.com

Can You Predict the Possibilities?

Understanding the power and potential of the FMEA tool is crucial. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to predict the future? If you follow a path, under a given set of circumstances,you should be able to predict the outcomes of that adventure. Almost feels like watching the weather segment of the 6 o’clock news. You see a trained professional telling you what the temperatures will be, the cloud cover and whether or not you need an umbrella. All of that prediction is given to you over a 5 or 7 day period. Business professionals tend to predict outcomes in the same manner. They look at superficial data and then, based on their gut instinct and a touch of optimism, they predict the outcomes of their process. In both scenarios, we usually end up getting caught in the rain — when everything said, we would be basking in the sunshine of success.

Seeing Success With The FMEA Tool

The FMEA Tool (Failure, Modes, Effects, Analysis) is a powerful tool available to a Lean Six Sigma practitioner. The tool is extensively used where a safety critical environment exists, such as the aerospace or automotive industry. The tool allows a team the ability to design quality and safety into processes or products on the front end of the environment, eliminating potential problems before they occur. There are three key questions the FMEA tool is built around:

  1. What is the likelihood of failure?
  2. What are the consequences of failure?
  3. How likely is it that the failure can be detected before reaching the customer or causing a safety issue?

Answering these questions and the using the tool to project the possibilities will empower a business to make better decisions about a process or a product.

Enjoying the Benefits

Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a process or product that you have complete confidence in every aspect of, inception to final delivery? If you look at aerospace, they cannot afford to have errors or issues. One problem, no matter how small, can create catastrophic results for the customer or the employees. The product must be perfect in every way, during every step of the process to the final product. Your business can expect that same level of predictive accuracy when you apply the FMEA appropriately.

The post FMEA Tool: Predicting the Possibilities appeared first on shmula.

Quality Awards Recognize Medical Center

$
0
0

quality awards, memorial medical center, lean six sigma

Healthcare is an ever-evolving industry that is achieving significant results with quality initiatives. Leaders are learning from other industries the value of Lean Six Sigma programs in their operations. There has never been more pressure for healthcare providers to perform. With healthcare costs rising everyday, being able to provide the highest quality service to patients that are costs effective has become their greatest challenge. Patients are now making decisions on the delivery of their healthcare, based upon published performance criteria. Gone are the days where a patient uses a physician of hospital that is closest to their home. They can now see healthcare performance data, which is published regularly on platforms across the internet. The other challenge they face is the government is now tying reimbursement to these quality scores. The higher the score, the higher percentage of reimbursement the facility receives. The livelihood of the industry is on the line and directly connected to quality measurements.

Quality Awards Recognize Excellence

Recently, Memorial Medical Center in Illinois received the American Hospital Associations McKesson Quest for Quality Prize, for the first time in their lauded history. Quality Awards are presented to organizations at the American Hospital Association’s national event. The award is presented to one hospital nationwide each year based on an AHA committee’s evaluation of achievements in quality, safety and patient-centered care. The award specifically recognized Memorial Medical for their Lean Six Sigma program. Their program has saved the organization $30 million in costs and reduced harm to patients since 2012. Success leaves clues!

This award is significant to the Memorial Medical organization and the communities they serve. It clearly demonstrates the results that can be achieved by a commitment to the practice of Lean Six Sigma in healthcare. Congratulations to everyone involved with this incredible success.

To read more about this award, click here.

The post Quality Awards Recognize Medical Center appeared first on shmula.

Brainstorming: A Powerful Six Sigma Tool

$
0
0

brainstorm, six sigma tool, ideas, concepts, brainstorming, shmula.com

Brainstorming combines a relaxed, informal approach to problem solving with lateral thinking. It encourages people to come up with thoughts and ideas that can, at first, seem a bit crazy. Some of these ideas can be crafted into original, creative solutions to a problem, while others can spark even more ideas. This helps to get people unstuck by “jolting” them out of their normal ways of thinking. This tool can be an extremely powerful and effective tool in the Six Sigma toolbox. It allows things to be stirred up and the layers of complex issues peeled back to expose the truths!

4 Keys to Effective Brainstorming

The ideal situation when things just click is exactly the place brainstorming gets you to. It allows ideas and situations to come together and create the perfect storm for creativity. Some industries are much better at the practice than others. Businesses that are more of a creative environment tend to understand and use the concept more comfortably. Businesses who are more technical ‘rules followers’ are less likely to be comfortable with a brainstorm session. The fact is, using a brainstorm session can be equally successful in any business environment, regardless of the creative structure. To take advantage of this powerful tool, you simply need to set some basic ground rules. The importance of these rules are more focused on respect for others vs. following secured rules. Here are the four basic rules to establish a proper brainstorm:

  1. No Such Thing As A Dumb Idea – All cards are on the table. The group must be able to feel comfortable that their ideas are plausible. Open yourself up to the possibilities.
  2. No Criticism – It’s not a debate about the technical merits. It is about what is possible!
  3. Build on Other’s Ideas – When an idea is put on the table, open your mind and imagine how to build on that. Avoid the technical and see how you can layer a path for improvement.
  4. Avoid Quality vs. Quantity – This presents a challenge for a more structured business. The tool isn’t about the technical aspects, but about the idea. Go for the quantity every time to be successful. The more ideas that are on the table, the more you will be open to possibilities.

The brainstorm tool keeps the wheels of collaboration turning. It can unfreeze the curiosity of many and encourage their ideas to flow. Keep the rules of the tool to basic respect and you will find a goldmine that will flow into your business! There is no such thing as a bad idea.

 

The post Brainstorming: A Powerful Six Sigma Tool appeared first on shmula.

Online Certifications: Trends Move Away From The Traditional

$
0
0

online certification, alternative education, blended education, online certifications, education, business

Online certifications are making new inroads. For decades, it has been an accepted principle that if you want a solid professional career, you must obtain a four year degree. This has been a minimum requirement for most employment. This has included performing well in high school, then meeting the required demands of college admissions. Upon graduating college, there was a significant debt load and an expectation that a well paying job would be available. Unfortunately, these trends have been changing, as more and more college graduates are finding that they are are not able to secure the type careers that they thought would be available to them. These struggling graduates are then relegated to working at low paying jobs outside of their career path, while trying to satisfy their debt obligations.

Changing the Expectations

More employers are now hiring applicants without the traditional educations, in lieu of applicants that have obtained their education through non-traditional methods. These same employers are also willing to look at applicants that possess certifications that prepare them for their industry. These new job seekers are finding there are more opportunities in the current job climate than for applicants with a degree. For the job seeker, they are finding that obtaining an online education with blended learning options have a much higher return on investment and significantly lower their debt load when entering the workforce. Freelance professionals are the perfect example of the new face of the American workforce. They are able to take advantage of online certifications, with blended learning opportunities, then land the perfect career situation. According to a recent survey by Upwork, 54 million people worked in a freelance capacity in 2015. That number will exceed 75 million during 2016. That number equates to about 24% of the US population. The attraction of a free lifestyle, coupled with flexible work hours and environment, are the main reasons for this surge. A freelancer is able to easily compete in their industry with either online certifications or an online education background. This strategy is changing the face of the American workforce.

The Future of Online Certifications

For some industries and professions, a formal degreed education cannot be avoided. However, workers are quickly discovering that obtaining an education through online certifications, blended education, or certification options make more sense than the formal education process. Employers are more open to hiring these professionals or working with freelancers in their industry. The Six Sigma and Lean professions are one of those professions that are enjoying this transformation in the workforce. For a person who wants to pursue a career in Lean Six Sigma, a certification with online or blended education programs are now getting them hired! If they choose not to go the traditional route, a Six Sigma or Lean professional is just as able to enter the freelance area and enjoy a productive and satisfying career.

The post Online Certifications: Trends Move Away From The Traditional appeared first on shmula.

Lean Standard Work: Importance of Calendar White Space

$
0
0

lean standard work, lean, lean six sigma, six sigma, productivity, leadership, calendar, scheduling, shmula.com

Lean Standard Work has become a major component of most Lean systems. This is fundamentally a lean-principled way for managers at all levels to execute their work. There is a natural push back from leaders about having their own standard work, but they should have at least 5-25% of their time spent on recurring and scheduled tasks, These tasks include staff meetings, Go and See activity, coaching/mentoring sessions, strategic planning, weekly email communications to team, scorecard metric collection and review, and more.

The centerpiece or focus of Lean Standard Work systems is the use of checklists. Checklists are a way for leaders to keep up with the work that is important, and remember what they need to complete. This includes meetings, key people to check in with, and monitoring of metrics or standards to ensure the systems are performing properly. When you start reviewing leadership calendars, you immediately notice the lack of white space.

Meetings and tasks are set aside in the calendar and that time is protected, but the problem is overbooking. Looking closely at these calendars, leadership can, typically, be double or triple booked for events on the calendar. This leaves a leader to make a hasty decision at the last minute on which meeting is most important, at the moment. The lack of white space on the calendar leaves leaders with no time to think, plan or problem-solve.  We are taught to never schedule our production lines, or our workers above 80% capacity, but somehow a leader with 125% capacity on their calendar is acceptable or considered a “badge of honor”? Some of the most critical tasks a leader can do are never planned for!  Without creating white space for these unplanned situations, a leader will become overwhelmed. This is part of the reason over 80% of new CEOs fail within the first 18 months!

Creating White Space

Leaders must have time to solve problems! That is what they are hired for. Organizations heavily depend on the ability of their leaders to think, problem-solve and plan. Otherwise, we tend to lead from the hip and make decisions that are not quality focused. This causes leaders to fall into a “firefighting” mode when they are trying to lead the organization to success. By creating white space, leaders start to make better decisions and actually can move the organization forward. Here are three tips leaders can use to make some white space in their daily schedule:

  1. Prioritize & Focus: Prioritize where you need to focus your time to best create success for your organization.
  2. Stay in Control: Make sure you stay in control of your calendar. Be clear with subordinates and assistants about priorities and that blocked time cannot be crossed. Block time to think, plan and problem-solve.
  3. Delegate: Develop subordinates and empower them to make decisions on things that aren’t in your list of top priorities. As they grown and develop their skills and understand your priorities, they will become your most valuable assets. This is the heart of Lean, respect for people. If you are not growing the skills of your people, you will limit your ability to improve, and you will become the bottleneck in the process, as they will seek you out for all approvals.

Lean Standard Work Practice

Preserving white space can be a daunting challenge for some. Some leaders have been raised in an environment of reactionary leadership and have been known to triple-book a schedule. It seems to be what is expected and it is what they understand. The fact is, creating white space in your schedule will empower the leaders of an organization and make them much more effective. It can no longer be a “badge of honor” for leaders to have overbooked schedules, and their white space time is relegated to after midnight. Just like any other Lean practice, it is about habit of practice and discipline around standard work (see Toyota’s Manage for Daily Improvement training materials). Understand and focus your time on what is most important. Make time everyday to think, plan and problem-solve.

 

The post Lean Standard Work: Importance of Calendar White Space appeared first on shmula.

Executive Leadership: What Is Your Role?

$
0
0

executive leadership, lean six sigma, leadership, business, six sigma

 

In today’s environment, executive leadership is in the middle of an identity crisis. Studies tell us that 80% of new CEOs lose their position within 18 months of taking the reigns. That fact alone, tell us there is an executive leadership disconnect. All levels of executive leadership positions are dutifully outlined in job description and other forms of guidance or expectations. Leaders step into their roles and try following long established criteria for their specific roles. It is a taught behavior that all professionals are exposed to. When you look at extremely successful professionals, they possess and practice a core series of skills that directly relate to their success and the success of their organization. The real challenge is how to simplify and teach those crucial skills to the next generation of executive leadership.

Executive Leadership Kept Simple

For all the complexities and challenges leaders face, it can be very difficult trying to keep leaderships skills as simple as possible. Environments, social challenges and business environments tend to add layers of complexity of basic leadership. These layers can be so deeply compounded that leaders can become paralyzed and frozen in time. However, when you peel back those complex layers, you will find some very simple nuggets of truths that all leaders need to habitually practice:

  1. Be an Effective Communicator – There is a direct correlation between a leader’s ability to clearly and succinctly communicate the firm’s vision, mission, and their success. This significance of clear communication cannot be overstated. From a lean perspective, a leader with a clear vision helps steer improvement teams towards the right problems to solve. Otherwise, there are so many problems to solve that teams end up heading in different directions.
  2. Possess Strong Self-Control – No matter how frequent or widespread the crisis, a leader must remain calm, cool and collected. All eyes are on the leader to see how they react to situations. Those eyes will then mimic and repeat the behavior of the leader. You must set the example at all times. Your behavior is constantly measured. A strong lean leader will “walk the talk” and get deeply involved in learning the processes, being deeply involved in improvement activity, and making improvements in their own areas (not just improving the lowest-level workers).
  3. Ethical Character – This element is painfully obvious, but frequently violated. Ethics and integrity must remain above reproach at all times. Those eyes are watching all the time. The first time you make an expectation and allow a character slip, then it becomes a very slippery slope. Success in business is all about flexibility, but the only thing that is pure ‘black & white’ is ethics and integrity. One way to ruin integrity would be to say that no jobs will be lost due to improvement, then laying off people after improvements are made.
  4. Visibility – Leaders must be visible and accessible to those they serve. Forget the typically ‘open door policy.’ It is a sham! You must be accessible and that needs to be a part of daily communication up and down the chain of command. Secondly, you don’t need a written ‘open door policy’ if you are getting out from behind a desk, out of the office and be present. Stop hiding and start leading! Regular trips to the “gemba” show your visibility, and reiterate how important process improvement is to everyone.  These gemba walks will also let you see what’s going on with your own eyes, not just seeing the metrics and getting manager updates.

Making a Change

These four tips will allow you to peel back the layers of unnecessary complexity and get down to leadership that is clean, simple and straightforward. Executive leadership has been complicated to a point that we have forgotten the basics. The basics are fundamental to any improvement effort as well (organized work areas, standard work processes, daily checks and reviews, etc). Our challenge today, more than ever before, is to quickly identify talent and develop them into the leaders of the future. Take the time to get back to the basics and build your skills.

The post Executive Leadership: What Is Your Role? appeared first on shmula.


Food Service: Serving Up Six Sigma Quality Daily

$
0
0

food service, lean six sigma, six sigma, restaurant, business, leadership, shmula.com

The food service industry is tough. The challenges of the industry range from food costs and quality, to customer service and effectively using labor. To create the perfect experience, owners must find a delicate balance with these challenges. But to add to those challenges, in today’s digital environment, customers are engaging with social media, which has its own challenges. As an example, the industry estimates customers add approximately 45 minutes to their dining experience through the use of their smartphone. Waitstaff are delayed taking orders because customers are answering emails or texts. The meal time after being served is extended because customers like to take and share images of their meals on social media. Then after the meal, there is another round of texting, emailing and interacting on social media. These delays are expected to increase.

Six Sigma Serves Up Quality For Food Service

Now, if you stop and thinking for a moment, these challenges in the food service industry are really no different than any other industry. They all revolve around product costs, labor challenges and customer service. Just like any other industry that has experienced great success with Six Sigma practices, the food service industry can achieve resolution to their buffet of challenges. From kitchen to table, food service is about process and procedures. Preparing the food revolves around exact recipes and precise skills used to prepare the food. There are food costs involved and they must be precisely managed. This includes the preparation and service of beverages. They too require precision and accuracy in management. If you look at the front of the house, from door to table, it is all about customer experience and service. There are processes and procedures involved that impact every second of the customer experience. Just like other Six Sigma industries, food service requires precision and attention to every detail.

Success For The Future

Food service professionals are starting to embrace Six Sigma practices to create a better industry for their customers and employees. Leaders must look at the core practices and understand how easily they can benefit from Six Sigma. One of the most crucial opportunities for food service in their customer experience is the Voice of the Customer (VOC) programs. Every second a customer spends in a restaurant is an absolute opportunity for success or failure. If they find service, food and the environment exceptional, their digital raving will bring success. If they fail at any point in the customer experience, that digital transmission will cause significant pain to the business. These food service professionals must find ways to deal with their routine challenges of their industry, along with the new environment of the digital age. Six Sigma can bring great relief and success to this industry.

The post Food Service: Serving Up Six Sigma Quality Daily appeared first on shmula.

Olympic Gold and Six Sigma

$
0
0

olympic gold, six sigma, lean six sigma, winner, success

Can you win Olympic Gold with Six Sigma? Are there similarities between an Olympic athlete and Six Sigma? A little half way through the Olympic Games in Rio, we are witnessing some of the best athletic performances in history. Just as amazing are their background stories, getting to see exactly just what it takes to qualify for the Olympic games. As you see just what it takes, think about the similarities between qualifying an athlete for the Olympics and Six Sigma.

Using the Right Tools For Success

When an athlete starts down the road to qualify for the Olympics, they begin a process that involves tools the mirror tools of the practice of Six Sigma. Of course, their journey begins with focus, determination and a dream to reach the highest level of athletic competition. They secure the best coaches and the best facilities to create a total environment of success. Once the proper environment is established, they enter a training program that uses practices that have produced success over decades with Olympic athletes. Their training program uses performance metrics to measure and monitor their training progress. Every aspect of their training is measured and recorded. Coaches and trainers guide the athletes through training to ensure they are achieving continuous improvement. They start with the basic fundamentals and build their skills until they are achieving world class results. The athletes stay completely focused on nothing less than excellence and know what level of performance it take to win gold.

Winning Olympic Gold and Six Sigma

You may have noticed what we did. The approach to training an athlete who goes on to win Olympic gold contains the same fundamentals as the practice of Six Sigma. These amazing athletes cannot simply ‘be great’ at their sport to reach the highest levels of competition. That basic ability must be partnered with a practice for building success over time that truly produces the greatest of athletes.

The post Olympic Gold and Six Sigma appeared first on shmula.

Andon System: What Does It Tell You?

$
0
0

andon system, lean, lean six sigma, manufacturing

What does your Andon System tell you? Typically, it is a manufacturing process that says there is something wrong and your attention is wrong. The word Andon simply means ‘lantern.’ Just like any other light, its presence tells us of a problem. But is it the act of the light or is it what the light signifies? The true essence of the Andon is to signify a circumstance and that is supposed to trigger a certain set of actions. The question is, what does your team do when the Andon is activated?

The Vital Core of an Andon System

The response or actions of your team is the true test of what an Andon system is all about. It is a core element of Lean practice, just as important as the 5s, the A3s or the 5 whys. There are five important elements of the Andon system that make it more than just a lantern:

  1. Agree to What a Problem Is – You must identify and agree what constitutes a problem that triggers an Anadon. Some say a 3% variance, others say 10%. That is conflict and chaos.
  2. Detecting the Problem – Does the operator ‘feel’ behind or out of control, or is it just their emotional state and not the reality? What mechanism do you use to separate fact from emotion?
  3. Raising the Alarm – There must be agreement on how the Andon system is activated. The mechanism must be clear, concise and easy to use within the work flow.
  4. Who Responds – The precision of who responds to an Andon alarm is crucial, just like any other part of your work flow. The responsibility of response would be clear up and down the chain of command.
  5. Agreement of Response – Be clear on not only on who responds, but what type of response to the Andon alarm is crucial. An operator must be confident on exactly what is going to happen and how long it will take, every time! That way they can stay focused on the problem at hand and be confident of the response.

Give It The Respect It Deserves

You know that sometimes Andon alarms are received with a tepid response. Next time you are in a public place, look around and pay attention to the response to a fire alarm. In many situations, that type of Andon alarm is lacking a sense of urgency. That is truly alarming! If you approach your Andon system with seriousness and apply these five points, you will see the results you desire. Further you will be confident and comfortable in the fact that a part of your Lean practice is working to the level of effectiveness you expect. Be clear and be consistent.

The post Andon System: What Does It Tell You? appeared first on shmula.

Spaghetti Diagram: Eliminating the Redundancies of Flow

$
0
0

spaghetti diagram, six sigma, lean six sigma, quality tools, six sigma tools, lean six sigma tools, quality, workflow

Untangling the twists and turns of workflow in a process can be frustrating. Have you ever tried to visualize the flow of a process, from start to finish? In most organizations, it can be convoluted and complex. The goal, of course, of any workflow, it to try and use the most direct flow from point A to point B. That is what exists in an ideal world! The fact remains in organizations, there are silos and protected turf. Everyone wants to ‘touch’ the product or process in the flow. The question then becomes whether those ‘touches’ are valid and provide value to the end result. Simplification of the flow and allowing ‘touches’ from various departments only when necessary to the success of the end result should be required.

Clarity With a Spaghetti Diagram

A Spaghetti Diagram will provide an overhead view or visualization of all the stops or ‘touches’ the product or process encounters before the delivery of the end result. When you can see it, touch it and feel it, you can then start to untangle the mess involved in workflow.  As you trace along the workflow line, you can quickly begin to understand and analyze the value of each ‘touch’ along that flow. Does that ‘touch’ bring bring value to the end product or product? Each touch along the way can then be broken down and evaluated for the value it brings to the process or product. Once a proper and thorough evaluation of those ‘touches’ have been undertaken, you can then eliminate the unnecessary stops or create additional ‘touches’ that are required to add value or quality.

Simplifying For Quality

When applied properly, the Spaghetti Diagram can provide clarity and understanding of the complexities of workflow. Simplicity is the key to success. You can now comfortably eliminate redundancies and unnecessary touches to the flow, which drain quality and increases costs. The tool is valuable in helping break down silos in an organization for better efficiencies. You may not go directly from point A to point B, but your journey along the flow will become much more efficient and cost effective, ultimately delivering a higher quality product or process for the customer.

The post Spaghetti Diagram: Eliminating the Redundancies of Flow appeared first on shmula.

Statistical Process Control (SPC): Are You Monitoring the Behavior?

$
0
0

statistical process control, lean six sigma, lean six sigma tools, quality, quality tools, shmula.com

Are you monitoring vital behavior using Statistical Process Control (SPC)? Operating a business is is all about knowing what is going on across all of your platforms. For many who hear that statement, there are objections to the concept. Some feel it is micro-management. Others feel that monitoring that level of detail is just not reasonable, within the numbers of hours available during a work week. Not paying attention to details and trends can lead to some nasty surprises. Quality of product and process can slip, leaving customers disgruntled and unhappy. Using the right tools, with the right practices, businesses can keep a finger on the pulse of their operations.

Statistical Process Control (SPC) Monitors Behavior

The concept of using a control chart to monitoring statistical behaviors was introduced by Walter A. Shewhart while working for Bell Labs in the 1920’s. Shewhart and his staff at Bell Labs understood the importance of reducing variations in the manufacturing process and being able to closely monitor statistical behavior. Today, through the process of Statistical Process Control (SPC) control chart, allows a business to record data then monitoring the statistical behavior. It creates an understanding of what an unusual event is (spikes of data either high or low) as compared to what typical process performance looks like. This gives the Lean Six Sigma professional the opportunity to analyze and understand unusual behaviors, determine the cause of those outliers and understand their importance. The statistical behaviors then become more clear and give Lean Six Sigma professionals the ability to more accurately control what is really important to the business.

Controlling Success

Leading up to and during the intense manufacturing period of WWII, control charts were a crucial part of our manufacturing success. Afterwards, the use of the tools slipped in the US, but took on another life in post-war Japan. In recent years, the use of SPC has significantly grown with the growth of quality initiative, especially with the broad acceptance of Lean Six Sigma practices. The use of these control methods have been greatly enhanced by digital software statistical and data collection systems. For the Lean Six Sigma professional, the SPC is a crucial tool in their everyday practice.

The post Statistical Process Control (SPC): Are You Monitoring the Behavior? appeared first on shmula.

Viewing all 1002 articles
Browse latest View live